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1. Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is still a couple of weeks away from having a definitive answer as to whether he will need a fourth surgery on his left forearm, according to sources. The last month has been more of a âwait-and-seeâ period, with Gronkowski essentially buying more time for doctors to determine if the infection has cleared. Gronkowski has been working in the Patriotsâ offseason program, and for what itâs worth, one opinion from someone who has seen him is that he âlooks great.â A month ago, surgery was seen as âvery likelyâ but there has always remained a chance that it could be avoided. At this point, there have been no unexpected setbacks; however, as Gronkowski has already learned, things can always change quickly.

I took antibiotics for an infection about 10 years ago. I'm still not sure if they worked or not, so I guess I'm a few weeks away from having a definitive answer on surgery, too. Of course, there's nothing wrong with me, so there's not much reason to expect surgery, but ya never know, right?

This whole Gronk thing seems like another story cooked up by Boston sports media out of pretty thin gruel.

I took antibiotics for an infection about 10 years ago. I'm still not sure if they worked or not, so I guess I'm a few weeks away from having a definitive answer on surgery, too. Of course, there's nothing wrong with me, so there's not much reason to expect surgery, but ya never know, right?

This whole Gronk thing seems like another story cooked up by Boston sports media out of pretty thin gruel.

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Unless your infection was on a metal plate inserted to hold together a bone fracture, your experience is irrelevant. Believe me, this is (potentially) a serious business.

So no "unexpected setbacks" (just expected ones). I will remain cautiously optimistic, but if he starts the season with the plate in his arm I will hold my breath a little each time he falls or takes a hit.

There are differing opinions on that. Lots of people walking around with metal inside them. But most don;t play NFL football. Problem is the plate increases the probability of a break at the margin of the plate, which is what happened last time he fell.

Unless your infection was on a metal plate inserted to hold together a bone fracture, your experience is irrelevant. Believe me, this is (potentially) a serious business.

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Lots of things are (potentially) serious business. i could (potentially) get killed crossing the street this afternoon.

All this hubbub about Gronk was based on a whole lot of (potentially). He had surgery. The wound got infected. They started a course of aggressive antibiotics. Could the antibiotics have (potentially) failed to stop the infection? Sure. But, at the time the newspaper article was written, there was no evidence that the treatment wasn't working. The whole article was based on the treatment (potentially) not working. Same crap the media pulled with the (potential) for the treatment to not work with Brady's infection.

Lots of things are (potentially) serious business. i could (potentially) get killed crossing the street this afternoon.

All this hubbub about Gronk was based on a whole lot of (potentially). He had surgery. The wound got infected. They started a course of aggressive antibiotics. Could the antibiotics have (potentially) failed to stop the infection? Sure. But, at the time the newspaper article was written, there was no evidence that the treatment wasn't working. The whole article was based on the treatment (potentially) not working. Same crap the media pulled with the (potential) for the treatment to not work with Brady's infection.

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Let me explain.

When you have surgery to put in a plate (well, flange really) one of the dangers is that the plate becomes the site of a severe bacterial infection. Patients are warned to look out for signs of inflammation and fever and to get in touch with the surgeon as soon as possible if they have any such symptoms. That's what evidently happened in Gronk's case. It is a serious problem and the question now is whether the antibiotic treatment has been sufficient to deal with it.

Yes, the media don't always get their facts right (although I have no reason not to trust Mike Reiss) but, in this case, it's not the media who don't know what they're talking about.